Officials urged to introduce modern agri technology

Additional commissioner asks officials to adopt drip irrigation system to overcome water shortage

SARGODHA: Additional Commissioner (Revenue) Asif Iqbal called upon agriculture department to introduce modern agriculture technology to enhance per acre production.

He urged officials to adopt new techniques, including a drip irrigation system and solar system so that the water shortage problem could be resolved. The director extension plant told APP that citrus has been cultivated across the district on 223,000 acres, cotton on 16,000 acres, wheat on 473,000 acres, sugarcane 152,000 acres, rice 19000 acres, channa on 43,000 acres.



He said the agricultural experts were striving hard to ensure strict monitoring of pesticides and fertiliser dealers and in this regard so far 307 samples of fertilisers have been collected, while out of total samples 280 were declared fit, 3 failed and 24 results were pending.

A total of 37 FIRs have been registered over the sale of poor quality fertilisers and 17 cases were pending before the courts. The director water management said that the latest irrigation system was installed at 963-acre land and 60% subsidy was being paid by the government for this purpose.



He further stated that the government was providing materials for the construction of watercourses and labour assistance to farmers. He added that during 2018-19 a total 186 water courses would be constructed and 51 would be constructed under Annual Development Fund and 34 with public-private partnership.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2019.